Autumn appears to have arrived early thanks to an army of foreign bugs that are attacking trees from Feltham to Chiswick and turning their leaves brown.

Leaf-miner moths arrived in the country from the Balkans six years ago and have been spreading at a rate of knots ever since. Their larvae attack horse chestnut trees, turning leaves brown much sooner than would normally happen.

But park chiefs have assured residents they have nothing to fear as the change is not believed to cause any lasting damage.

Doug Napier, head of development for parks contractor Continental Landscapes, said: "The problem really came to a head during the very hot summer two years ago. It's probably related to climate change but the damage is not thought to be permanent.

"The moths are spreading very quickly. Two years ago some areas, like Bedfont, didn't seem to be affected, but they're everywhere now."

Leaf-miner bugs are so-called because the larvae burrow through leaves cerating 'mines' and causing surrounding areas to die.

As if they were not enough to be contending with, trees are also being affected by fungal rust known as Guignardia, which can have the same appearance but actually causes brown blotches on the leaves. It's not uncommon to find both mines and rust on the same leaf.